This week's must-hear podcasts: Conan O'Brien pays his respects to Norm Macdonald

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Conan Talks About Norm Macdonald

It’s been a couple of weeks and the fact that Norm Macdonald is no longer with us is still a hard one to accept. Of course, his fellow comedian friends have been shaken up about it, with several hitting the podcast airwaves to share memories and pay their respects. When the news broke, Conan O’Brien (a.k.a. the best part of this year’s awkward-ass Emmys) immediately hopped on his podcast to pay tribute to his good pal and favorite guest. Along with longtime sidekick Andy Richter and segment producer Frank Smiley, O’Brien discusses how Macdonald’s zero-fucks attitude and why his unpredictable, Andy Kaufman-esque comic sensibility always made him a welcome visitor on O’Brien’s myriad talk shows. Even when former NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer—who infamously dismissed Macdonald from his “Weekend Update” post during his Saturday Night Live days (Norm was doing too many jokes about Ohlmeyer’s pal O.J. Simpson)—tried to force O’Brien to not book Macdonald anymore, O’Brien insisted that he was hired to put on the best show he could. And he knew that whenever Macdonald was scheduled to appear, the show was definitely going to be a blast. [Craig D. Lindsey]

2 Black Girls, 1 Rose: A Bachelor Podcast
Girl, Don’t Even Call Out That Degree

Bachelor In Paradise feels more like FBOY Island than actual paradise, and the mug-off/lie-fest heard ’round the world had racial connotations that were brutal. As the Bachelor franchise tries to diversify, Bachelor Nation is left to contend with the specters of colorism, racism, and fuckboi antics that still plague the show. More than ever, we need Black friends to weigh in on the nonsense. 2 Black Girls, 1 Rose recaps the most bonkers episode of Paradise ever with aplomb, all in a cute 18 minutes. It’s a sagacious unpacking of the last few weeks’ worth of episodes as we learn that Brendan was not there for the right reasons and had a bad habit of saying crazy shit on a hot mic. Podcast hosts Justine and Natasha explore the Lord Of The Flies-esque moment in which union leader Joe takes Brendan to task on violating both Natasha and the Paradise Rule Book, and the girls’ insights bring levity to a rather fucked situation. This episode perfectly encapsulates the crossroads at which the Bachelor franchise finds itself. Wherever it goes from here, hopefully the podcasts will stay this good. [morgan mcnaught]

Heal With It
The Uber Of Conflict Resolution

A podcast devoted to exploring the many different ways that the healing process can present itself is one we all need in our feed. Hosted by psychologist Maytal Eyal, Ph.D., Heal With It examines healing in specific real world contexts, rather than a philosophical or theoretical way. In this episode, Eyal introduces listeners to Mazzie Casher and Steven Pickens, creators of the Philly Truce app, whichallows citizens within communities facing gun violence to take steps to mediate the types of conflict that often result in casualties. Casher and Pickens understand that the root of violence is often emotional, not rational, and that people within the community have the insight to address the underlying issues. Philly Truce is intended to foster “truce culture” and can operate without involving the police. Eyal facilitates a great conversation, allowing her guests to explain their product as well as the potential ways in which their community-sourced solutions can heal the city of Philadelphia and impact other such cities nationwide. [Jose Nateras]